Rules for the Card Game 10 Hole Golf

By Robert Preston

Ten card golf is played with multiple decks of cards.

Golf is a card game where players are dealt cards face down, and aspire to get the lowest possible score for the hand. While golf can be played with multiple different arrangements and amounts of cards dealt, 10 card golf is a popular variation, which differs in the way it is played from the most common four card golf.

Dealing

A minimum of two decks is required to play 10 hole golf, with two decks accommodating up to four players, and an additional deck for every two additional players participating in the game. All the cards are shuffled together as one pile, and are dealt out to each player so that each of the participants receives 10 cards. The cards are then positioned so that each player's cards are in two rows, with five cards in each row, aligned one below the other making five columns as well. The remaining cards are placed in the middle, and the top card is turned over to start the discard pile. The deal passes to the dealer's left at the conclusion of a hand.

Playing

Each player begins by turning two of his cards face up, choosing the cards for himself. The other eight cards remain face down until turned over in the course of play. The play begins at the dealer's left, and passes around the table clockwise. To take a turn, the player selects either the top card from the discard or the top card from the deck and replaces one of his cards with it. The player may replace a face up or a face down card, and places the new card face up. A player may elect to discard the drawn card if he picked from the deck and do not like the card. The hand ends when one player has all 10 cards face up.

Card Values

Once the hand has ended, the value of every player's hand is added up. Aces score one points, while Twos take two points off a player's score. All other numerical cards count for points equal to their value, while Jacks and Queens are each worth 10 points, and Kings are worth zero. Any card that matches the card in its column is canceled out and worth zero. This includes if a column features a pair of 2s, where the -2 stroke bonuses would be canceled out. The player with the lowest score wins the hand. A standard game of golf lasts for nine or 18 hands.